Six Months Since the False Border Agent Whipping and Still No Investigation – Opinion

A quick inspection of border agents uncovers administrative embarrassment.

There were outraged remarks and assurances of an expedited inquiry into the issue of border agents whipping up illegals. But what is the story of all this journalistic embarrassment that started as a media firestorm but turned into a news item? What has the promise of an urgent inquiry led to? It is nothing. Wild allegations of migrants being abused by USBP agents have resulted in silence and stagnation.

False anniversaries are not something I enjoy. Last year, as an example, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer commemorated the 9 month anniversaryThe January 6th riot was held for no apparent reason. We have an example that is both significant and more interesting as the days go by. Half a year ago was the culmination of an absurd mix of journalism and governmental ineptitude. Everyone involved is clearly ashamed of it, but they should be reminded.

It has now been 6 months since DHS launched an investigation into false claims that horseback border agents in Del Rio “whipped” Haitian migrants. Secretary Mayorkas pledged it would be done in “days, not weeks.”

Still not done, & the involved agents remain off patrol duties.

— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 22, 2022

The story that six months ago, border patrol agents had been caught filming Haitian citizens crossing the Rio Grande. They then began whipping the migrants on horseback. There were layers of motivations behind the journalism set running rampant with a story based on some still photos; there was inherent drama, it fit in with the narrative of insurgent migrants being sainted figures, and it could be used to further Biden’s permissive border policies. 

This meant they were able offset any blame to the prior administration. Joe Biden was ineffective in addressing the issue. His executive orders thematically open border doors were not his fault. This is why Joe Biden’s actions could not be blamed. It was impossible to resist the temptation to denigrate Donald Trump.

This was, however, too good to be true.

When the furor began, The El Paso Times carried a story by Martha Pskowski on Sunday, September 19,  about an incident witnessed at the border. A few Haitians made a river crossing to this country. They were met by USBP officers on horseback. Accompanied by photos, she detailed, “Horseback Border Patrol agents cracking whips as they charge into the crowds of Haitian asylum seeker border patrol agents.” Another description was an agent, “He swung his whip infuriatingly.”

Paul Ratje was the photographer and some more pictures were published on the following day. The media frenzy began. There were many other major players. echoed the initial reportOr they weighed inWith fiery commentary. Emblematic of this hysteria was CNN’s Chris Cuomo, who that Monday night It was all about the hype.

“Yes, as an image, to me, it does smack of a bygone era, of slavery, aided by reports of people being beaten, whether with a riding crop, or the reins, most likely. that’s how they decided to deal with the situation. It is time to get to the root of the matter. It is possible to find out the source of this statement. It was OK, why? Tell us.”

Biden’s administration was just as reactive. Jen Psaki was heard saying, “I don’t think anyone seeing that footage would think it was acceptable or appropriate.” Then the President himself weighed in on that Friday. Note he did not utter concern and call for a reasoned look into the matter – he convicted the agents involved without due process. “I promise you, those people will pay,” Biden stated this to journalists at the White House that Friday of that week. “There will be consequences. It’s an embarrassment. But beyond an embarrassment, it’s dangerous. It’s wrong.”

Alejandro Mayorkas became Secretary of Homeland Security and took control of the situation metaphorically. He declared the incident over on Tuesday. none of the actions were permissible. “Our team is skilled in conducting investigations,” he said. “There are independent investigators that will be looking into it. The investigators will make their findings according to the standard operating procedure, then they will determine the facts..” Those facts became deeply inconvenient, very quickly.

There was an explosion of common-sense responses by people who thought whips described riders riding with reins. When the El Paso Times reported that one of its agents was swinging his whip, it became clear there was a problem. reinsAn individual and horses charged towards crowds. The media story continued, unperturbed and without any interest in conducting investigations.

Next came the devastating blow to the story. Paul Ratje (photographer) came to the rescue by Thursday September 24, declaring that his photographs were being taken. Out of contextAnd that he has never been whipped by border agents. A video from the same incident, taken by another photographer on 24th of March, shows a completely different scene. First, consider all of the commentary and hyperbolic remarks that were included in the media coverage about the incident. Take a look at the scene live and notice the differences in the visuals.

I was sorting through the footage that I had taken from the border. I was present at the border during the viral encounter between a Haitian-migrant and CBP officer mounted. It’s shaky – but here’s what I captured. pic.twitter.com/fnvxSU83tO

— Sarah Blake Morgan (@StorytellerSBM) September 24, 2021

There is no whipping and horses don’t charge into innocent crowds. Agents are trying to stop illegal entry and force them to comply with orders. They were wrongly accused of being ridiculous and claiming that our country was going back hundreds of years to slavery. The administration found itself in a very difficult position.

Biden, Mayorkas, and others were left pondering the scandal long after it was disproven. However, they could not reverse their course and Mayorkas has been exposed to be an inept leader of DHS. He was sticking to the story on Friday the 24th. Peter Doocy from Fox News Mayorkas was asked about his positionThe whipping was unnecessary and he was not going to say anything now that the matter had been clarified.

Actually, it was on Monday, I believe, uh, when I was in Del Rio, uh, on the ground, uh, and I made the statements without having seen the images,” Mayorkas said. “I saw the images on the flight back, and I made the statement that I did with respect to what those images suggested.”

Except…

He appeared on CNN on Tuesday. AfterHe saw them. Und er war. stillSelling the idea of agents being incompetent. He said to Brianna Keilar, “It is not possible to use horses as weapons of mass destruction in order to assault a child. It is unacceptable. That is not what our policies and our training require … We will not tolerate mistreatment.” 

Mayorkas, later in the day, appeared before Congress. Mayorkas declared straightly that he was looking into the matter through an investigation and also promised that the matter will be resolved in just days. Not weeks. Now we are at six months. The man who claimed to be investigating the matter is now gone. Our team is skilled in conducting investigationsHe does not know how to close one. He has yet to report on his investigation.

Agents who were reassigned are still assigned to distaff. DHS has not commented on the matter. Washington Examiner reviewed the matter in January and could not find any information. There has not been any action taken. None of the agents have been subject to discipline. The border agents riding on horses are now in place after an initial call to cease the mounted USBP Division.

It seems that the Mayorkas investigation is about as adept at collecting the facts as Biden’s border policies have been in collecting illegal entrants to this country.